Love -- Forced or Freely Given

This is a topic that has come up more than once in the last few months in different conversations. I absolutely believe in the sovereignty of our God. He is sovereign over all things and consequently is able to "make" us love Him. In thinking about this and listening to the thoughts of others, I have come to the conclusion that I don't believe that God chooses people to love Him, but has paid the sacrifice for ALL men to have the freedom to come to Him and choose to love Him. No, it's not because we in and of ourselves have anything good that makes us love Him, but because we've all been created in His image and so He put within each one of us a longing for Him. Unfortunately, some turn to other things to fill this void, but each one has the freedom to come to Him and accept the gift that He has freely given us ("God so loved THE WORLD" -- not just those that He has chosen to accept Him). If He was choosing (i.e. making) us to love Him, is that really love? He didn't create us to be robots because relationships are not about force, but about a mutual desire for communion. We've all been created with this desire, but not all choose Christ to fulfill that desire. That desire under the curse of sin has run a muck just as everything else here on earth is affected by the result of sin.

Thank You, Jesus, for the gift of salvation! Thank You, Father, for the freedom that we have to come to You and accept this gift! Thank You also for the many people in my life who prayed for me and desired for me to know You in a personal way! I love You!